HS2 is preparing to deliver one of its most complex motorway construction programmes to date, with engineers set to extend three major structures across the M42 during a series of carefully coordinated weekend closures this summer.
The work will see the high-speed railway carried over the motorway via the Water Orton viaducts and the 300-metre-long M42 “twin box” structure, with both projects progressing simultaneously to minimise disruption for motorists.
Planned in partnership with National Highways, the closures form part of the next stage in constructing the 140-mile railway between London and the West Midlands.
Twin engineering operations
At the heart of the programme is the installation of the roof deck for the M42 twin box near Solihull, which will eventually allow HS2 trains to pass over a covered section of motorway while traffic continues beneath.
Construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) began installing the structure’s 175 precast concrete roof beams in June, completing the first weekend seven beams ahead of schedule after successfully installing 50 beams.
During the next closure, engineers will target a further 44 beams over the northbound carriageway before the motorway reopens.
At the same time, separate engineering teams will begin extending the twin Water Orton viaducts across the motorway.
Each viaduct is already around 1.2km long, with the remaining 135-metre crossing to be completed using six prefabricated 45-metre spans weighing approximately 1,000 tonnes each. The giant sections are being assembled beside the motorway before being transported into position using self-propelled modular transporters.
Coordinated closures to reduce disruption
Rather than carrying out the two major engineering operations separately, HS2 and National Highways have coordinated the construction programme so both can take place during the same planned motorway closures.
The first closure runs from 9pm on Friday 24 July until 5am on Monday 27 July, affecting sections of the M42 between Junctions 6 and 9, together with associated M6 and M6 Toll links. Further weekend closures are planned during August, September and October as work progresses.
Agnes Usciak, HS2 Ltd Senior Project Manager, said: “This summer marks the most significant programme of work yet to carry HS2 over the motorway network.
“We have a huge engineering challenge ahead of us, and our engineers will be working day and night to extend three huge structures in tandem.
“Motorists travelling on the southbound carriageway will have seen the roof deck taking shape on the twin box, and from Monday morning, the northbound carriageway transformation will also be clear to see.”
Oliver Shore, Project Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI, added: “We have specialist teams ready to deliver the next exciting phase of construction over the M42 motorway this weekend. Our engineers will begin the process of extending the Water Orton viaducts over the M42, while a separate team will continue to install the next set of concrete roof beams on top of our twin box structure near Solihull.
“Both of these complex operations are taking place during the same weekend to minimise disruption to motorists as much as possible.”
Critical stage for HS2 construction
National Highways said combining the works into fewer closures would reduce the overall impact on road users while allowing significant progress on one of the railway’s most challenging engineering interfaces.
Ian Doust, National Highways’ Head of Network Planning and Development, said: “The scale of what’s being delivered in this area by HS2 and their partners is remarkable, and the careful planning with National Highways means we can keep disruption to a minimum while this major infrastructure takes shape.
“Working on the Water Orton viaducts and the twin box simultaneously during these weekend closures is a deliberate approach to protect road users from repeated disruption over a longer period.
“We’d ask drivers to plan ahead for the upcoming closures, follow the approved diversion routes rather than relying on sat nav, and allow extra time for their journeys. Checking conditions before setting off will make a real difference.”
The programme represents another major milestone in the delivery of HS2’s civil engineering works, with multiple large structures now taking shape across the route. As construction intensifies across the West Midlands, the coordinated motorway crossings demonstrate the scale of planning required to build the new railway while maintaining one of the country’s busiest strategic road networks.
